Victim Calls for Removal of Bishop Hoeppner Who Blackmailed Him to Keep Silent About Sex Abuse

An abuse victim is calling on the Vatican to remove a U.S. bishop who the victim says blackmailed him into keeping silent about how a priest in the diocese allegedly abused the victim when he was a teen.

Bishop Michael Hoeppner is the first Catholic bishop to be investigated under new sexual abuse guidelines issued by Pope Francis last year. Court evidence reveals that Bishop Hoeppner, of the diocese of Crookston in Minnesota, approved the accused priest for ministry, claiming that he was “unaware of anything in his background which would render him unsuitable for work with minor children” despite knowing the victim’s testimony of being sexually abused by this priest.

Read more at LifeSite News

When you sign the petition, it will be emailed to Bishop Hoeppner, Archbishop Hebda, the U.S. Papal Nuncio and the Vatican.

Petition Calling for the Removal of Bishop Michael Hoeppner

We respectfully request the immediate removal of Bishop Michael Hoeppner as Bishop of Crookston. Just as clergy must be removed when found guilty of sexual crimes and sins perpetrated under the guise of holiness and authority, so must a Bishop be held accountable for being a silent accomplice in the crimes and sins committed by clergy in his diocese. By his inaction, deceit and indifference, Bishop Hoeppner has placed our youth in danger of being the next dehumanized statistic in the Church's sexual abuse crisis. Bishop Hoeppner remains stubbornly indignant and seemingly unaware of his complete loss of credibility among Catholics in the Diocese of Crookston. Until a more trustworthy leader is chosen, the Diocese of Crookston and its surrounding community will continue to suffer spiritual, social and financial loss. For these reasons, and to allow for the long process of recovery and rebuilding to begin, we respectfully request the removal of Bishop Hoeppner as Bishop of Crookston.

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